Marcellus Shale gas region is gushing with jobs

Raymond R. Geary (left) welcomes Danielle Boston (right), one of the speakers Thursday for the Natural Gas Expo at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. Geary is the executive director of Continuing Education and Regional Development at Pitt-Bradford. Boston, the director of public outreach for the Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association (PIOGA), discussed growing job opportunities in the area's Marcellus Shale gas development. Photo by Ted Lutz.

BRADFORD – There is an "incredible growth" in the number of jobs linked with the area's Marcellus Shale natural gas bonanza.
And, "if all goes right," high employment will continue in the drilling and production of the deep wells for another "50 or 100 years."
This is the message delivered Thursday by Danielle Boston, one of the speakers at the Natural Gas Expo at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. She is the director of public outreach for the Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association (PIOGA) based in Wexford in the North Hills area of Pittsburgh.
According to Boston, a "single well" drilled in the Marcellus Shale formation may require 420 workers with "150 different occupations." She said there are between "20 to 30 sub-contractors for each well site."
Boston said some of the jobs include heavy equipment operators, drillers, floor hands, maintenance-men, derrick-men, mechanics, welders and "roustabouts," who are considered "jacks of all trades." She said other workers at a typical well also include professionals such as geologists and electronic technicians.
Boston said those who seek employment in the drilling of wells should be willing to "work outside in all types of weather." She said workers also must be "drug-free," dependable and committed to safety and environmental issues.